Adobe employee calls journalist “twerp” for criticizing Flash

Adobe may have a problem on its hands beyond the fact that public opinion is turning against its Flash technology faster than you can say “FarmVille iPad app.” John Dowdell, who identifies himself as an Adobe employee and blogs on adobe.com has taken to using his Twitter account @jdowdell to publicly attack journalists who don’t have positive things to say about his company’s Flash technology. After the publication MacDailyNews criticized ESPN.com for using Flash, Dowdell publicly referred to the MacDailyNews writer as a “twerp” and “dumb” in the same sentence. In fact we here at Beatweek were only made aware of it after Mr. Dowdell also subsequently publicly lashed out at us after we referred to Adobe’s Flash as being ancient (Mr Dowdell also publicly insinuated that Beatweek has some kind of hidden monetary or compensational relationship with Apple, which for the record, we do not). While we’ve been called far worse and we fully respect the right of individuals to calls us by whatever ugly names they wish via their own Twitter accounts, we find it disturbing that Adobe’s obsession with propping up Flash has now extended to its employees publicly attacking journalists. It’s not immediately clear whether the Twitter account is considered an Adobe account or whether employee was speaking on behalf of Adobe, as his Twitter account does link to his blog at adobe.com but uses the employee’s own name for a Twitter username.

Again, we’re not looking to get the specific employee in trouble. But that Adobe’s employees would sink to such depths as Flash continues to circle the bowl is endemic of Adobe’s seeming disturbing desire to bet the entire company on Flash as somehow being the future.

Just in case the employee removes the tweet and then claims it never existed, here you go: